ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company told to pay Rs 90,372

Chandigarh, December 16
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum-I, while rejecting the claim of a Sector-8 resident over the foreclosure amount charged by ICICI Bank, has directed ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company to pay Rs 90,372 along with 12 per cent interest per annum from the date of filing of the complaint till its realisation.
The forum, comprising president PD Goel and member Madanjit Kaur Sahota, also directed the insurance company to pay Rs 10,000 as costs of litigation to the complainant.
The complainant, Japji Kaur Cheema, had submitted that she had taken a housing loan of Rs 1,02,68,000 from ICICI Bank and was issued a life insurance policy by ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Co. as part of the loan agreement against one-time premium of Rs 2.68 lakh.
Later, a sum of Rs 19,474 was refunded to her out of the paid premium. She decided to foreclose the loan but the bank charged Rs 2,30,227 as prepayment/foreclosure charges from her, which was paid under protest as there was no clause in the loan agreement with regard to it.
She further averred that she surrendered the insurance policy with the request to the bank to refund the amount of premium but despite her repeated requests, only Rs 1,49,605 was refunded.
The bank, while taking some preliminary objections, said as per the agreement, they were supposed to charge 2 per cent amount as the foreclosure charges.
The insurance company denied that it was mandatory to obtain the insurance policy. It has been stated as per the terms and conditions of the insurance policy, if there is full repayment of the loan, then the policy holder is entitled to the surrender value, it claimed.
In the present case, after surrender of the insurance policy, the amount of Rs 1,49,505 was credited to the account of the complainant.
It was further pleaded that the complainant enjoyed the life cover till the policy was cancelled.
The forum, while giving relief to the bank observed that the insurance company had not produced on record any terms and conditions of the insurance policy that in case of full repayment of the loan, the policyholder was entitled to the surrender value.

Sale of Chinese goods ‘threat to economy’

Dehradun, December 16
Dehradun Mayor Vinod Chamoli today said the increasing use of Chinese products was a matter of concern for the country.
Addressing a workshop organised by the Himalaya Parivar, a non- government organisation in Dehradun, Chamoli reminded that while 80,000 square kilometres of the Indian territory was still in the Chinese possession in the aftermath of the 1962 war, Chinese were now trying to destroy the Indian economy by flooding the Indian markets with its products.
Another key speaker Suryanarayan Jha said India had failed to strengthen its borders with China. He said China had been repeatedly troubling India. “It shows Arunachal as part of China and continues to irritate India on one pretext or other”, he said.

Withdraw Lokayukta Bill: CP (ML)

Pithoragarh, December 16
The Utarakhand state unit of the CP (ML) today called upon the state government to withdraw the Lokayukta Bill passed by the Uttarakhand Assembly, as, according to the party, it is an instrument in the hands of the powerful to protect the corrupt politicians and bureaucrats in the state from the clutches of the law.
Briefing the media after a district-level convention of the party held here on Wednesday, the newly elected district spokesperson for the party, Govind Kafalia, said the party wanted the Bill be withdrawn in the interests of common people of the state as it would increase corruption in the state. “The Lokayukta Act will give the impression that corruption is being checked but actually it will be protecting the corrupt,” alleged Kafalia.
According to Kafalia, 23 resolutions were passed at the convention, including seeking a salary package of more than Rs 11,000 for all anganwari and Asha workers in the villages of the state and a law to give government job to one member of each family in the state. “The party also felt that the agriculture needs to be given special attention in the state and every landless family should be given minimum an acre for cultivation,” said Kafalia.
According to the district spokesman, the state should make laws to ban big dams in the state and bring in laws to protect the agriculture from the menace of wild animals. “The party wants that small hydroelectric schemes in the state be brought under the control of the village Panchayats and all government land near villages should be allocated to the nearby villages,” said the party spokesperson.
“Our party feels that anyone who talks of third front without Left parties is without political understanding of the state because the Left parties are out to give revolutionary alternative to the people of the state whereas the third front partners have started talking of participation in the government after the election,” said Kafalia.

Oz envoy assures security to students

Preneet raises issue of transport concession for Indians in Victoria, New South Wales
Patiala, December 16
The Australian government has given its firm commitment to ensure proper security and safety to students studying in Australia. The assurance was given by Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) and Secretary, Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Dennis Richardson during a meeting with Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur in New Delhi today.
Giving details of the meeting in Patiala, MP Singh, Additional Private Secretary to Preneet, said, "While discussing several bilateral issues, the Minister raised the long-pending issue of the transport concession to be extended to Indian students in the Federal States of Victoria and New South Wales. The authorities in these two Federal States have been consistently refusing to grant concessional transport facilities to Indian students, which are normally enjoyed by the Australian students, despite the fact that Indian students pay much higher fees compared to domestic students."
Responding to the matter, Richardson assured that the matter of granting transport concession to Indian students would be taken up suitably with the concerned authorities in the Federal States for their consideration, in view of the fact that the Indian students pay comparatively higher fees than the local students.
"Richardson informed Preneet that the Australian Government has undertaken extensive review of the international education sector, including re-registration of international education providers with a view to ensure that international students get quality education in Australia", stated Singh.
After the meeting, Preneet expressed her satisfaction regarding the measures put in place by the Australian government to improve the safety and security of the Indian students in Australia. She, however, impressed upon the need that the proposed measures were followed through and resulted in a qualitatively improved experience on the ground for the Indian students in Australia.

Cancer not linked to Malwa water: Chief Secy

Cites an ‘exhaustive’ survey conducted by govt in affected areas; PTU expert rubbishes claim
Chandigarh, December 16
Disparaging reports linking high prevalence of cancer to brackish water in Malwa belt of Punjab,India Chief Secretary SC Agrawal has said a Health Department report had found that there was no link between water and the disease.
Speaking to The Tribune on the sidelines of a two day workshop on "Sustainable Water Supply and Sanitation Services" that concluded here today, the Chief Secretary said the Health Department carried out an "exhaustive" survey covering the people in affected Malwa areas, including Bathinda, Muktsar, Mansa, Ferozepur, Moga, Barnala, Faridkot and Sangrur districts. "No link between cancer and the quality of water was found," he said.
Agrawal said, "We agree that the belt definitely has high incidence of cancer, but the total average is far less than the national average." He quoted a national average data of the Indian Council of Medical Research, Delhi, which showed that there were 10 to 40 persons per lakh in Punjab who had been found suffering from carcinogenic diseases against the national average of 90 to 100 persons per lakh.
Countering the Chief Secretary's claims, Kheti Virasat (NGO) chairman Chander Prakash said the "government claims defied the ground reality". An Assistant Professor at Punjab Technical University in Jalandhar, Prakash said, "I am surprised at the findings of the report. In the past, a Guru Nanak Dev University (Amritsar) study confirmed the presence of uranium in water samples. It also reported heavy presence of fluorides, which is evident from the condition of the residents' teeth in Malwa belt."
Subsequently, a Punjab Agricultural University (Ludhiana) report pointed out the presence of arsenic, which is also associated with cancer, he claimed. A Central Pollution Control Committee report, too, indicated that the water in Malwa belt was unfit for consumption.

Britain gets its second Punjabi MP

Britain has a second Punjabi-origin MP following Seema Malhotra’s victory on behalf of the Labour Party in the Feltham and Heston bypoll. Malhotra told The Tribune that she is a product of multi-cultural Britain, was born in the UK to an Indian-origin father and a mother who is a retired teacher.
After they came to the UK, her parents started a community shop in Hounslow. She is now one of the five NRI-origin MPs sitting in the UK House of Commons.
Her ancestors were from Multan, but her parents’ families settled in Jalandhar and Delhi and she still has relatives in Jalandhar. “Please let me know when you write about me so I can tell my relatives in Jalandhar,” she said.
Malhotra (39) secured a majority of 6,203 votes over the ruling Conservatives, a swing of 8.6%. She said she is one of the two Hindu MPs in the Commons, adding, “I would say that the Labour represents the whole of Britain, is much more diverse and has a greater commitment to equality and diversity.”
“My parents came to England in the 1960s with very little money. They are typical of many Asians who came here for a better life for their children,” she said.
Malhotra grew up in the Feltham area, close to London’s Heathrow airport. She was active in local politics from a young age and was an adviser to Labour’s Harriet Harman, when she was the leader of the Opposition in 2010.
Conservative critics point out that the turn-out for the Feltham and Heston bypoll was unusually low at 28.8%, the lowest in a bypoll in 11 years.
The chair of the Conservatives, Pakistani-origin Baroness Warsi, commented, “I am concerned about the level of political engagement. It can’t be right that on 12,000 votes, a constituency can be won.” She added, “Byelections generally have low turn-outs at this time of year, when it’s cold and just before Christmas and people are thinking of other things.”
The Liberal democrats came third in the bypoll with deputy leader Simon Hughes commenting, “What happened here was what normally happens in a byelection. People protest against the government, so government parties take a hit [and] the opposition normally moves forward.”

Jalandhar Connection

• Seema Malhotra, 39, was born in the UK to an Indian-origin father and a teacher-mother, who is now retired
• Her parents’ families settled in Jalandhar and Delhi and she still has relatives in Jalandhar
• She is now one of the five NRI- origin MPs sitting in the House of Commons

Bharat Ratna now open to all, including sports icons

New Delhi, December 16
The government has modified the eligibility criteria for the Bharat Ratna paving the way for sportspersons such as hockey legend Dhyan Chand and cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar to be conferred the country’s highest civilian award.
The new rules, providing for eligibility of persons excelling in fields other than art, literature, science and public services for the Bharat Ratna, were notified on November 16, Sports Minister Ajay Maken told reporters here on Friday.
“I wrote a letter to the Home Minister on April 15. The Prime Minister and the Home Minister have very kindly agreed to change the norms. Now, the government has notified that for performance of highest order in any field of human endeavour Bharat Ratna could be awarded,” Maken said. He said the decision has paved the way for any sportsperson to get top award. The move comes amid clamour for giving the honour to Tendulkar for his outstanding contribution to cricket.
“For me as a Sports Minister, this is one of the biggest days for Indian sports and next biggest day I think will be the day when some sportsperson will be awarded the Bharat Ratna,” Maken further said.
Maken said Dhyan Chand and Tendulkar were the top contenders for the award.
“Both of them I think should be the top contenders. Ultimately, the decision has to be taken by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister takes the decision and recommends it to the President,” he said.
The Bharat Ratna was instituted in 1954. Any person without distinction of race, occupation, position or sex is eligible for this award.
The number of annual awards is restricted to a maximum of three in a particular year. On conferment of the award, the recipient receives a Sanad (certificate) signed by the President and a medallion. So far, 41 people have got this award. The first three Indians, who received the prestigious award, were Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman, Chakravarti Rajagopalachari and Sarvapali Radhakrishnan in 1954.
There is no written provision that the award should be given to Indian citizens only. The award has been conferred on a naturalised Indian citizen Mother Teresa (1980) and to two non-Indians - Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan and Nelson Mandela (1990). Pandit Bhimsen Joshi was its last recipient.